Man, 33, charged in friend’s attempted rape

Saturday

Mar 24, 2012 at 12:01 AM

A Tuscaloosa man has been charged with the attempted rape and sexual abuse of a family friend earlier this week.

A Tuscaloosa man has been charged with the attempted rape and sexual abuse of a family friend earlier this week.The 27-year-old victim told police that she was spending the night with a married couple who are longtime friends at their home in the 400 block of Skyland Boulevard the night of March 18. The woman does not live in Tuscaloosa and was staying at their home so she could wake up early to submit job applications, said Capt. Loyd Baker, Tuscaloosa County Metro Homicide Unit commander.The woman said that she was awakened during the night when Jeremy Heath Wood forced himself upon her, Baker said. Wood covered her mouth with his hand when she screamed, Baker said. The woman said she was able to get free when Wood’s wife entered the room. She grabbed her belongings, ran from the house and filed a report at the Tuscaloosa Police Department.Investigators obtained warrants and arrested Wood, 33, Thursday night. He is charged with attempted rape and first-degree sexual abuse. He remained in the Tuscaloosa County Jail on Friday with bail set at $40,000.